Subj : Democracy Explained to Kids To : LEE LOFASO From : BOB KLAHN Date : Sat Sep 07 2013 02:10:40 ... LL>>> Folks who lived in the Lower 9th Ward were mostly renters. BK>>Which is not untypical for the poor. LL> It has been 8 years since Katrina hit New Orleans. And LL> many people who were displaced have never been able to LL> return to their homes or former neighborhoods. Many were shut out by guards such as Blackwater. LL>>> They had evacuated prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, but LL>>> were unable to return due to the levees breaking leaving the BK>>They were also barred from returning by security people. LL> Not only were residents of New Orleans barred from LL> returning home, but so were others (such as family and LL> relatives) who were outside the city. Sure, cleanup was a LL> mess. But access should have been granted sooner, and for LL> more people. Yep. But that would have let people actually keep their homes. BK>>From what I have read, Blackwater was guarding the former 9th ward. BK>>You can find that easily enough. LL> Private contractors were used, but so was the National LL> Guard. The National Guard has to keep records of what they do. Private contractors may just keep payroll records. Plus reimbursment for bullets. Or maybe they had to buy their own. LL>>> entire area flooded. Yes, most of them worked, although at LL>>> low-paying jobs, hardly enough to live on much less raise a LL>>> family. BK>>Exactly. LL> That is the way it is in every major American city. LL> Right-wingers like to blame it on blacks, pointing to LL> cities such as New Orleans and Detroit, but the poor LL> (regardless of race) live everywhere. Yep, and the suburbs are the growing area for poverty. ... BK>>Aristotal taught that the poor will do what they need to survive, BK>>the rich will do anything to get richer, only the middle class BK>>provides stability. LL> Aristotle was a very smart man, but he never imagined how LL> it could be humanly possible to solve the problem. LL> However, today we are gods and have solved the problem - LL> With the number of poor we have in this country, it is LL> necessary to have government programs (handouts). Food LL> stamps, free cellphones, subsidized housing, SSI/medicaid, LL> etc. If there were no subsidies, the people would riot and LL> revolt. Well, the republicans are working to make that happen. LL>>> You can find bad people in every neighborhood. LL>>> Right-wingers like to point out that Rev. Martin Luther LL>>> King was a troublemaker, a black man who spoke for a LL>>> violent people, all of whom happened to also be black. BK>>VS the violent white people he didn't speak for. LL> White people do not kill white people. But black people LL> kill black people (and sometimes white people). Or so we LL> have been led to believe. Most murders are same race, and the prime suspects are always family, friends and associates. LL>>> No white minister would ever encourage white folks to LL>>> disobey cops and other law enforcement officials. There is a BK>>Uh... some are preparing for war against the government. LL> Preparing for war against the government is one thing. LL> Doing so might even get you elected to Congress. Going to LL> war against the government quite another. Might even get LL> you killed. Unless you win. In which case you become a LL> patriot. The old rule, it's not treason if you win. ... LL>>> For Republicans, it really is about white or black. It LL>>> wasn't always like that, but it is today. For example, LL>>> George Romney received 30% of the black vote as a candidate LL>>> for governor of Michigan. Mitt Romney received 6% of the LL>>> black vote as a candidate for president. That is how much LL>>> the Republican Party has changed over the years. BK>>Above all, it's politics. Give the people someone to hate and BK>>you get votes. Playing on fear has always been the dictator's BK>>primary weapon against his own people. LL> Give the people what they want to hear and you get votes. LL> Not necessarily what they hate, although very often it LL> amounts to being the very same thing. The politics of fear LL> is used not only by dictators but also by presidents (re: LL> GWB). Is it a good tool? For dictators it is (as long as LL> they are able to remain in power). True, as I have often said. BK>>> Remember Mitt Romney's infamous 47%? LL>>> George Romney marched with MLK and the blacks for freedom. LL>>> Mitt Romney refused to speak at the Lincoln Memorial for the LL>>> 50th anniversary of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. What a LL>>> tremendous opportunity that was missed by Mitt Romney and LL>>> the Republican Party. Even Michael Steel admitted the GOP LL>>> goofed. BK>>OTOH, the republican party found Michael Steel too reasonable BK>>long ago. LL> And now the Republican Party is finding Piyush "Bobby" LL> Jindal too reasonable ... The Republican party may find the Tea Party is dragging them down. ... LL> Especially the RAND Corporation. "Thinking Through the Cold LL> War", by David Jardin, free for download, smashwords.com I think the Rand Corp was a bunch of peace mongers compared to the current crop of right wing hate spewers. ... LL>>> Cajuns are not exactly the wealthiest folks in the world. LL>>> And yet most of them voted for the man with the red face. LL>>> Probably because they thought he was a crawfish. BK>>He played on fear. LL> He's a politician. Now retired. And happy. The pay cut for taking the presidency would have bothered him. BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn .... Some find fault like there was a reward for it. --- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg] * Origin: Fidonet Since 1991 Join Us: www.DocsPlace.org (1:123/140) .